The Department of Criminal and Procedural Law presents a variety of courses which are somewhat related to Criminal Law and the various Laws of Procedures. The latter include both Criminal and Civil Procedures, as well as the Law of Evidence, all of which are essential courses for anyone who needs to know how the general courts in South Africa operate.
Prof A Saurombe
Chair of Department
Department of Criminal and Procedural Law
A very warm and pleasant welcome to you all! We are delighted to have you our undergraduate students, post-graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and the faculty. We are an open and distance university; thus your ‘buzz’ and activity can be felt both in the hallways and virtual platforms of the University. We are here to share great excitement for the time we are together. We are very much looking forward to connecting with you, and I encourage you to say hello to the Head of Department, based on our main campus- Muckleneuk Ridge, Cas Van Vuren Building, office 8-10.
We would like to assure you that our department, like the University as a whole, is built on the premise that excellence and diversity – of thinking and lived experience – go together. Excellence flourishes in an environment that embraces the diversity of our people, enabling all members of our community to participate fully and to achieve their full potential, that facilitates free expression of diverse perspectives through respectful discourse, research autonomy, and academic freedom, and in which high standards are maintained for faculty, students, and support staff alike. We value working with all members of our community in our engaged scholarship projects and extend our hand to alumni and visitors where our culture of welcome embraces a sense of belonging and respect that is critical to sustaining our excellence as a department and underscores that it is everyone’s responsibility to do their part to make this place home. As the Head of the Department, I am at the centre of supporting the Faculty’s efforts to embed equity, diversity and inclusivity in our practices and processes. Do feel free to seek an audience with me at any given time if these values are compromised.
The academic planning process for each year happens in November of the preceding year and is submitted to the College to inform the broader College Operational Plan. We also envision the academic planning cycle as an opportunity to engage all members of our community in a collaborative process of reflection on our areas of strength and on what makes our department distinctive within the College of Law and Unisa. We are at the centre of making the College of Law and the School, one of the best in South Africa and beyond. To maximize opportunities for collective engagement; we will host a series of Symposiums sessions for faculty, students and all those interested. These engagements happen every month and we are keen to have all of you participate, stay connected for more details!
Our faculty members continue to receive prestigious awards and recognitions. Professor Jolandi le Roux -Bouwer has recently received her NRF(C3) rating. This is a recognition that she is an established researcher with international recognition.
We are thrilled that Professor Mollema and Dr Mokoena continue to lead in the South African Law Reform Commission (SALRC); reviewing the Criminal Procedure Act (CPA) to make the criminal justice system more efficient, accessible, and modern. During 2025, we hope to welcome accomplished new colleagues at the level of Associate Professors and Full Professors. Thus, our commitment to continuing the process of faculty renewal during this hiring cycle is of paramount importance.
I will conclude by mentioning our open-door policy, both physically and virtually so that our connection remain defined by a seamless engagement with our remarkable community of alumni and your fellow students.
We wish you all a wonderful year ahead, filled with enjoyment and intellectual growth!
